LUCH 5V will relay telemetry, commands and other communications between ground controllers and Russian spacecraft in low-altitude orbits. The Luch satellite fleet, operated by the Russian Federal Space Agency, also tracks rockets and their upper stages in flight and is Russia's counterpart to NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. The data relay satellites help ensure stable communications links with satellites, reducing reliance on a spotty network of ground stations scattered around the globe. Fitted with Ku-band and S-band payloads with two large deployable mesh antennas, the Luch 5V spacecraft launched Monday is the third member of the newest generation of Luch satellites, joining the Luch 5A and Luch 5B satellites launched in December 2011 and November 2012.